Sequels to The Secret
by Deanna Kranz
Summary: This is where I will be putting all the sequels to "The Secret." Each sequel will have it's own summary. The fourth chapter, in which the baby arrives, is up!
1. Children, Polls, and Speculations

Children, Polls, and Speculations  
By Deanna Kranz

Summary: Beverly and Jean-Luc deal with living with Wesley, Elise, Bevy, and Gabrielle. As Beverly looses her patience, threatening them with the worst case scenario, the remaining senior officers on the Enterprise discuss the current ship's poll.

Disclaimer: Characters, ships, and jargon belong to Paramount. Bevy, Gabrielle, Elise, Jared, Clairmont Academy, and the story belong to me.

Author's Note: Ok, so many people asked for it, a sequel to "The Secret," and here it is. I hope you enjoy it. A second sequel is dependent on the feedback I get from this one, so give it!

* * *

Everything was quiet, only the soft sounds of the birds in the trees outside could be heard. She was only half conscious as she sleepily opened her eyes to confirm that it was indeed morning. Glancing slightly at the chronometer across the room she saw that it was barely 0725 hours and she could sleep at least thirty more minutes. She sighed and curled into the arms of the man lying next to her, and he accepted her body within his arms in his sleep, giving her a soft kiss on her head while resuming his sleep. She was in heaven as she fell back into a deep sleep.

Vaguely she was aware of the arguing going on not far from her. She tried ignoring it, wanting desperately for a few more minutes of sleep. Then a door slammed, causing her to snap her eyes open as she jumped. The man next to her asked, "What was..." but he was cut off by the sound of ruckus and the unmistakable sound of someone's stomach contents being expelled from the orifice of which they entered, and the unison of "Eeeew! Oh, gross!"

They both glanced over to the chronometer, it read 0737. Sighing they faced each other as they heard outside their door,

"This is all your fault, _you_ clean it up!"

"My fault?! It is _not_ my fault and you are crazy if you think I'm gonna clean it up! Besides, you promised you would."

They ignored the argument that continued and pressed their lips to each others', greeting the morning in as sweet a way as possible with the chaos that had ensued this morning.

"MOM!" came two voices right outside the door and she groaned in frustration; their lips had barely had the chance to touch.

"I'll be out in a minute," she called from her bed. "Stop arguing and both of you clean up the mess. And I want an explanation as to how it happened."

There was no response, but none was needed. They had both quickly learned that while their mother could be a sweet, caring, mother, she could also be a very strict one when she reached frustration. She was still not used to having two children of her own plus the other two in her care made this teen filled house more than she could handle at times. Well, mostly teen filled since the oldest was not a teen. The man next to her understood her frustration, she had not been able to get enough sleep lately. She sat to get up out of bed but he grabbed her and pulled her against him.

"I have not finished saying 'good morning' to you, ma chère. And only a life threatening emergency is going to stop me." He captured her lips with his before she had a chance to verbally protest. Once locked, she made no effort to protest, she wanted the kiss as much as he. She needed it. It was going to be another one of those days.

"I would have killed myself if it wasn't for you."

"Don't be silly, Beverly," he told her as they both got out of bed, "They would have probably caused you to go insane long before you attempted to kill yourself."

They both laughed. "Jean-Luc, can you please..."

"Of course," he said without letting her finish her request. "You go shower and get ready and I'll go see what the problem was this morning."

"I'm beginning to think that we might actually use your idea," she said as she began undressing.

"Really, which one?" he asked with amusement as he began making the bed. "The one about building a brig in the yard or the one about mysteriously disappearing one day and leaving them to fend for themselves."

"Neither," she said as she went into the bathroom and turning on the shower. "The one about not allowing anyone to leave their bedroom until breakfast is ready."

"Now you are seeing reason."

Beverly Crusher sighed heavily as she stepped out of the kitchen. It has been a frustrating morning and in her frustration she had told Jean-Luc to tell everyone to go to their rooms and wait while she cleaned up the morning dishes on her own. She didn't want to deal with the arguments that came with having them clean up. "You aren't getting enough dishes, you purposely want to do that because it's easier, I always have to do _this_." She didn't want to hear it. She wanted to go away and hide.

As she stepped into the large living area she heard the movement going on upstairs, Jean-Luc had just gone up to tell them she wanted to talk to them. One by one they walked down the stairs in a single file, all with neutral faces and not saying a word. The sight reminded her of the musical "The Sound Of Music." She silently smiled as she suppressed the giggle the thought of having seven children caused her. She would indeed have gone crazy with that many kids. Maybe a militaristic approach wasn't such a bad idea.

The four teenagers walked into the living area and sat in the couches and waited, still silent. They knew they had gone too far this morning. They had caused Elise's overly sensitive stomach to revolt when they decided to watch a video of a pig dissection in the room she shared with her husband, Wesley. Then Wesley had argued with his sister, Bevy, over whose fault it was and who was going to clean up the mess; she did not make it to the bathroom. When they came down for breakfast the three of them continued arguing over who was at fault. When Elise's sister, Gabrielle, gave her opinion, stating that the three of them should have known it wasn't a good idea, all four of them began arguing while they attempted to set the table. No one was able to explain how it happened, but a dish was thrown, causing someone else to throw a dish as well. By the time Jean-Luc Picard appeared to take control of the situation four dishes and two glasses had been broken. Beverly had ran out of the kitchen, horror in her eyes as she saw the broken glass and china, quickly going from teen to teen, beginning with the pregnant Elise, to make sure no one had been hurt. She had said nothing, but her expression showed her hurt, her anger, and her frustration.

Once they had finally sat down to eat, everything was quiet and Beverly was glad it was going to be a quiet meal. The quiet meal was ruined when Wesley, being the oldest, decided to apologise, which caused Bevy to begin blaming and pointing fingers. Elise and Gabrielle began defending themselves and the noise level once again rose. Beverly ignored it as Jean-Luc tried to calm the group. When she had had enough, she simply got up and took her plate to the kitchen, slamming the kitchen door loudly. Everyone stopped talking at the sound of the door being slammed and heard her activate the lock. She wanted to be alone.

They finished eating in silence and once they were done Jean-Luc instructed everyone to go to their rooms and remain there until they were called. He tried helping Beverly clean up but she refused the help, telling him that she wanted them all down as soon as she was done.

So now they were there. All not knowing what was going to happen. Jean-Luc was the last one to come down, remaining upstairs a few extra minutes to allow them to realize how serious the problem was. He entered the room and sat in the large chair, feeling the tension in the room and knowing that once this was over, whatever it was going to be, he would be the one carrying out any of Beverly's new rules and comforting her as she cried her frustration out in private later on.

"Jean-Luc and I are scheduled to leave in 45 days," began Beverly in her neutral, CMO tone. "This baby is going to be here any day now. The plan was that Jean-Luc and I stay here with you during this time to help the four of you adjust to living on your own, learn to take care of each other and take care of the house. I do not feel comfortable leaving the four of you here without an adult at this time. And the way things are going, I don't think another 45 days is going to make a difference. You are not prepared nor are you taking this seriously. If you, _all_ of you, don't get your act together soon, I will not leave this planet with a newborn in your care. It would be irresponsible and negligent."

Everyone, including Picard, was shocked to hear her final decision. Wesley and Elise's pulse quickened as they both neared panic, Elise protectively placing her hands over her large stomach. They knew that she was serious and would leave with their baby. They knew that Elise's parents would agree once they heard about how they had been acting. They had to admit to themselves that she was right.

"The rules have been made, the guidelines have been set, and you all know them. I don't want to hear any more finger pointing and blaming. I don't want to hear explanations or excuses. You are all old enough to know how to act properly. You have lived together for many years and you know how to make it work."

There was more silence as she simply stood in front of them, letting her words further sink in. He voice was slowly rising in volume and they all began to feel a bit of fear as it was beginning to reach a level it had not reached before. She saw their uneasiness. The tension was so thick it could almost be seen. The young couple, her son and daughter in law, were terrified at having their baby taken. The other two, her daughter and daughter in law's sister, were not only scared for their siblings, but because they weren't sure what would happen if they didn't change. All four of them were full of uncertainty, and Beverly silently enjoyed causing them this discomfort. They needed a splash of cold water to make them see the seriousness of the situation, and she hopped she had just done so. But now it was time to address the cause of the situation. She had been speaking to Jared almost every day for the last two months as things began escalating. He was the one that had suggested she put on her commanding face and tell them what the consequences were going to be. She had called him before tackling the morning dishes and told him what had happened. After speaking for a few minutes they agreed to have him come by and do some work with all of them. They were going to start with once a week and take it from there. But she wasn't going to tell them that until he showed up in the afternoon. For now she was just going to reassure these frightened children that she understood why they were acting this way. And that that didn't make it right for them to do so.

"I know this is a very uncertain time for all of you. You have all gone through some very big changes. I am trying my best to be here for all of you, but as you've noticed, there is only one of me. You can't all be fighting for my attention at the same time. I can't guess as to when you need to talk to me about something, you need to come to me in a mature way not by acting like you are crazy. I am here for all four of you and I won't get mad if you come to me. Even if I seem busy, come to me. If I can't talk at that moment I will make sure we come up with a time to do so. I much rather you come talk to me than start breaking dishes."

There was still silence. No one dared talk. Last time someone tried apologising it ended up in an argument. No one wanted to make her any more upset than she already was. Not only because they were afraid she was going to snap, but because they knew they should have been behaving better and she shouldn't have to deal with them acting like little kids.

Jean-Luc decided he'd try to help the situation, knowing he was stepping into still very new territory to him.

"I know that being a man," he began calmly, "makes you ladies feel uncomfortable approaching me. But I am still here to for you as well. If nothing more, I can listen to you, allow you to let out your frustrations. Beverly can't do this all on her own. There is no reason that she should. I also feel compelled to let you know that I have seen Beverly angry. I assure you, you have not seen her angry yet. Let us not reach that point."

The last comment made Beverly smile. He was not only putting himself out for them, but he was trying to relieve some of the pressure from her and make a joke of it all. They all caught her small smile and breathe a sigh of relief. The worst had already come and they knew that if they could behave it would not get any worst.

* * *

The five officers sat around the table, the tension trapping them all in their seats.

"I'll see your fifty," said Counsellor Troi, "and raise you another fifty."

"It's not fair!" said Geordi in frustration as he tossed his cards on the table, "You're an empath."

She pulled the large pile of chips towards her with a wide grin, "I never use my abilities while we play. What fun would that be? It's not like these chips are worth anything."

"Geordi," began Data, gathering the cards and shuffling them, "I must concur with the Counsellor. The pattern of which she wins and looses suggests that she has been practicing the game."

"Don't worry, Geordi," assured Deanna, "You've beat me enough times that I couldn't even start a rumour about you losing to girls."

"Speaking of rumours," started Geordi very excitedly, "have you heard about the latest poll going around?"

Will laughed as he nodded, the other three simply looking with amused faces, wanting to know more.

"What is it about?" asked Deanna surprised that any scuttlebutt had escaped her.

It was Data who informed her and Worf in his usual matter-of-fact tone. "The current poll asks how many months pregnant Dr. Crusher will be when she returns from her leave with Captain Picard. Currently, 54.3% have voted for seven months, while 23.7% have voted for 6 months, 11.1% have voted for 5 months, 7.4 have voted for 4 months, 3.2% have voted for less than 3 months and 0.3% have voted that she will not be pregnant upon her return."

"Seven months?!" asked Deanna with shock. "That would mean that she would have left the Enterprise pregnant. I know for a fact that she did not."

"But the rest of us don't," Will told her with his mischievous smile.

"The Captain is an honourable man," said Worf in his proud, booming voice. "He will not impregnate the doctor while living in a house with children."

"So you would vote that she is not going to return pregnant?" asked Will with surprise. Worf was about to answer when he stopped to think about something.

"Are we going to be picking them up from Clairmont Academy or will they be rendezvousing with us?"

"What does that have to do with anything?" asked Deanna with confusion.

"Captain Picard is an honourable man, but he is still just a man," he said with his Klingon grin of amusement. All four officers laughed as Data simply looked at them with his usual curiosity.

"Then," said Data as the laughter subsided, "it is not plausible that a man as traditional as Captain Picard will marry Dr. Crusher before conceiving a child?"

"Data," said Geordi, placing his hand over his, "they already conceived a child, and while she was married to his best friend."

As Data processed the information and the implications and possibilities it gave way to, Deanna gave her answer.

"I'd vote that she would be less than three months pregnant."

"Do you know something we don't, Counsellor?" asked Will with surprise. "Because they are going to be back in less than two months."

"As you know, I've been keeping in touch with Beverly. While I don't think she is currently pregnant, the captain will have to get her pregnant to get her to leave that planet."

All the men around her gave her a very confused look. She sighed at their lack of understanding of women.

"She has been taking care of her pregnant daughter in law and has helped set up the nursery. It has her wanting another child. She told me she might resign her commission in order to stay with them and help raise her grandchild."

The men were all stunned in silence. They had never thought that they would lose a friend over a baby. It didn't make sense to them. They didn't understand it. She had two already. Babies where so much work, why would she want to go through all that? Deanna sensed it all.

"She'd have to choose between her grandchild and the captain. I know which she has wanted longer. I wouldn't worry too much about it. After all, it's all just speculation."

* * *

Beverly sat curled up against Jean-Luc's body, his arms around her. It was almost midnight and all the other occupants of the house were finally asleep. It had turned into a rainy day and they had started the fireplace to keep warm.

There was silence as they simply enjoyed each other's company. They knew when they decided to take some leave time and spend it here that it was not going to be a holiday. They were there to get to know their daughter and the new additions to their family as well as help prepare Wesley and Elise for their new roles not only as spouses but as parents. They knew that continuing to explore their relationship was not a priority and had accepted it as such. So they were grateful when they got these rare, intimate moments.

As they sat there in silence, each developing their own thoughts of the day's occurrences, after the morning's fiasco the day had gone much smoother than it had in several weeks, the silence became charged with a question. A question he was unsure he should ask, and one she was not sure how to answer. A very obvious question.

He affectionately began to stroke her hair as he got the courage to ask.

"Beverly?" he began. "Where you serious this morning?"

She sighed a sad sigh. There it was. The much awaited question. She could stall her answer, his question was vague enough that she could. But she knew exactly what he was talking about and he had the right to know. He needed to know.

"I don't like it, Jean-Luc. And when the time gets closer if it seems that things haven't gotten better I will look into all the options." She swallowed the lump in her throat, she really didn't want to do it. "I can't leave a baby with them the way they are acting. You know that I can't. If something were to happen not only would I blame myself, I'm sure the law would too." Jean-Luc could feel her tense up as she spoke and held her tighter.

"I understand that, and I agree with that," he reassured her.

"I don't want to take their baby, Jean-Luc," she said fighting back her motherly emotions. "Giving up Bevy was the hardest thing I've ever had to do and I did that willingly. I can't imagine someone taking my baby away. It would be horrible. I don't want to do that to them."

The other option was obvious and neither one wanted to acknowledge it as he held her even tighter.

"I don't want to choose between my career and my grandchild," she said softly. But he understood, it wasn't her career but him she was referring to.

"Let's have faith that hearing your warning and working with Jared will improve the situation."

"Faith is all we have."


	2. The Nursery

The Nursery  
By Deanna Kranz

Summary: Jean-Luc finds Beverly in the nursery. A confrontation reveals the girls' secret lives. I couldn't come up with a better description so you will just have to read.

Disclaimer: Characters, ships, and jargon belong to Paramount.

* * *

Beverly Crusher sat on the floor in the room that was to be her grandson's nursery. She sat on the soft blue rug at the center of the room facing a wall with the changing table against it. It had baskets on both shelves with diapers, burping clothes, lotions, and other baby necessities. Next to it was a small dresser filled with tiny clothes. The crib against the next wall was ready with its light blue sheet and planets mobile. There was a rocking chair next to the closet door.

The walls had been painted a nice peacock blue. It had taken Wesley and Elise several days to decide on the right shade. The walls had several pictures hanging on them: Elise's parents, Wesley's parents, Earth, and three paintings some friends that made for the baby. To Beverly the room felt magical as it waited for the tiny life that would soon be sleeping in that crib.

Her mind raced back to the moment Wesley was handed to her for the first time. She had felt exhausted but completely happy. He was beautiful. Many memories of Wesley as an infant raced through her mind. She also remembered giving birth to Bevy. It had been completely different than Wesley's birth. She wasn't in a medical facility, but in the bathroom of the apartment she was renting while she waited for her to be born. There hadn't been a bed, she was in the bath tub. She hadn't had proper pain killers and felt quite a bit of pain. She was still a fairly new doctor and had been worried about possible complications. Luckily there hadn't been any. She didn't have any sweet memories of Bevy as an infant, just the painful memory of having to hand her over to someone else.

She sat, memories and emotions going in a whirlwind inside her. She didn't hear Jean-Luc open the door behind her, nor did she notice him standing there for several minutes as he watched her react physically to the emotions and memories from behind. He knew what was happening, what she was doing. It wasn't the first time he saw her like this but it was the first time he approached her instead of walking away and leaving her in her private moment. He crouched down behind her and gently placed his hand on her shoulder. She jumped, startled, and he smiled apologetically.

"I didn't mean to startle you," he said.

She nodded knowingly and stood up to leave. He, however, pulled her into a hug, not allowing her to leave. She pulled away and looked into his eyes. "Jean-Luc..." she began but he silenced her with a soft kiss.

"I know, Beverly," he told her. She looked at him with puzzlement. He knew what it was all about but she didn't know he was aware.

"If you can come up with a way to make it work, without having me resign, then I will give you one."

She didn't quite understand, but his smile and compassionate eyes told her.

"Are you serious?" she asked softly.

"You aren't the only one that missed out."

"Jean-Luc!" she said with excitement as she threw her arms around him. He held her and for a long time they simply stood there, in the nursery, embracing each other.

* * *

Bevy stood in front of the crib, looking inside it as if something was there, the stuffed giraffe still in her hand. Her eyes looked at every single detail of the crib and its contents. Each planet on the mobile. Each neatly tied bow of the bumper. Each perfectly printed star, varying in three different shades of blue, on the sheet. She placed the giraffe on the far corner of the crib. Some friends had come by to give Elise and Wesley some gifts for their baby. Bevy was asked to go take the items to the nursery so that Elise didn't have to make the trip up the stairs, which was getting very difficult and tiring for her.

"Hey," came a voice. Bevy turned to see her brother standing at the door. "Is something wrong? You've been up here for a while now."

"No," she said, "just looking around. I haven't been in here in a while."

"You'll be in here more often once the baby is here. There really isn't anything to do in here until then."

"Yeah," she said indifferently and walked towards the door and past Wesley.

"Bev, what's wrong?"

"Nothing," she said as she went into her room and closed the door behind her. Wesley was not far behind and opened the door without knocking.

"What are you doing?! Don't you know how to knock?!" she yelled at him.

"What's going on with you? You've been acting strangely lately."

"What's so strange about wanting someone to knock before they barge into your room?!" she yelled.

"That's not what I'm talking about! You're never around anymore and when you are you don't act like yourself."

"I'm not around because I have to go to school every day, or did you forget? And how am I suppose to be acting?? Please fill me in since I seem to have gotten it wrong!"

"For one it's not like you to be screaming or be so defensive," he told her trying to calm down.

"Just leave me alone. Don't you have something you should be doing, anyway?"

"Is that the problem, that I'm busy and can't spend time with you like before?" he asked.

"No, Wes, there is no problem! I just want to be left alone so I can study. What is so damn wrong with that?!"

"What's going on?" asked Gabrielle as she reached the top of the stairs. "The only reason Beverly or Jean-Luc aren't here is because they are outside and can't hear you. Why are you two arguing? Elise is getting worried."

"Nothing is going on," Bevy said calmly. "Wes just doesn't understand the concept of knocking."

"You used to barge into my room all the time. Now it bothers you for me to do the same?" he asked.

"Sorry, ok? I'll never go into your room again. Can you leave me in mine now?"

Wesley gave an exasperated sigh and turned around heading down the stairs.

"What happened?" Gabrielle asked Bevy as she went inside the room, closing the door behind her.

"He didn't knock. He just opened the door like this is his room."

Gabrielle went to her bed and laid down. She picked up a stuffed bear that she kept on her bed and sat it on her chest and began to toy with his ears between her fingers. "Was he right?" she asked Bevy after some silence.

"About what?" Bevy asked as she put down the book she had picked up to read.

"Are you upset he can't spend time with you like before?"

Bevy sighed. She was about to answer but Gabrielle continued.

"I haven't spoken with Elise about anything that isn't about how she feels or the baby or Wesley in such a long time. I'm sure she doesn't know which classes I'm taking or what I'm doing in school or anything important about me, really. I don't feel like I'm talking to my sister. I feel like I've lost my sister."

"Wesley said he'd help me with physics," Bevy began. "But every time I go to him he says he's busy and will get back to me. He never does. So I am going to tutoring after class and he got mad because I'm not home as much. I'd be home if he helped me like he said he would."

There was silence again. Gabrielle kept tugging on the bear's ears and Bevy simply stared out the window next to her bed. Suddenly Bevy looked over to Gabrielle, a big smile on her face.

"I need to do some research at the li-bra-ry."

"The _library_, hmm?" responded Gabrielle as she sat up, she too had a big smile.

"Yeah, you should come with me since I might need to stay late and could use your help."

"What are we studying this time?" Gabrielle asked as she made her way to the closet they shared. She picked out a simple dress and held it against herself.

"Gender and Communications," answered Bevy as she too got up from her bed and picked out a dress. "I knew that taking that class would come in handy. I just didn't think it would come in handy so quickly.

"Or in this way," added Gabrielle with a giggle. "Do you think it will look too bulgy once it's tucked into some pants?"

"Nah, just wear the long coat," Bevy answered her. "And this time lets choose some shoes that will fit easily into our school bags."

"Maybe we can save on space if we only take one make up bag. We'll just share."

"Good thinking."


	3. The Problem

The Problem

By Deanna Kranz

Disclaimer: Characters, ships, and jargon belong to Paramount.

Not a great chapter, but it sets up what will happen in the near future. As always, feedback is always appreciated.

* * *

"Can I speak to both of you in private?" Jared asked both Beverly and Jean-Luc. He had spent this session speaking with each of the young adults in the house privately. He had then brought them together to work out some minor issues. Now he needed to report to the parents his concerns.

"The only private place is our bedroom," Beverly told him.

"That'll do."

The three adults made their way up the stairs and the four people that were left behind in the living room began talking. Once in the bedroom Jean-Luc offered Jared the over sized chair that was in their bedroom and he and Beverly sat on the bed.

"Wesley and Elise are both very nervous about the arrival of the baby. They are dealing with normal newlywed issues and soon to be parents issues. Part of their problem is that they are both children and adults here and that poses a conflict in roles. I think that once they've gotten used to the new baby and are on their own they will be able to handle it well."

Beverly let out a small sigh of relief. She had been strongly hoping that there was hope for those two.

"Gabrielle," began Jared again, "is doing well. She is still very worried about her sister since she doesn't feel like she would be able to handle being in the same situation. She is going through some adjustment since she is suddenly much closer to Bevy than she is to her sister. There are a few rough spots that I am confident she can smooth them out on her own, nothing to be concerned about."

"That's good to hear," Beverly said. "She's such a private person that I honestly don't know how she is doing. I sometimes feel like we sort of have a stranger in the house."

"Yes, Gabrielle is a very reserved person when it comes to those that are not her friends. She has a normal social life for someone her age. She told me that she just doesn't know what to do, that she feels that the only reason she is here is because her sister is. She just wants to sit back and not intervene with the family."

"But she is part of the family," Beverly said.

"Yes, well, Gabrielle isn't the only one feeling left out. That is not who I am worried about."

"Bevy feels left out?" asked Jean-Luc with confusion.

"I became concerned during the first session. She was much more quiet and withdrawn than is usual for her. Bevy speaks her mind and lets you know exactly what she is feeling, what she wants. However, she was not voicing anything. I've asked her teachers and they've noticed too and a friend of hers says that the only time she looks happy is during dance rehearsals. When I spoke to her today she didn't want to talk to me about it." He paused momentarily as if trying to form the appropriate words before continuing. "One of the faculty overheard a conversation she was having with some friends during lunch two days ago. It let me know that she is being greatly affected by this situation."

"What did she say?" asked Beverly.

"I'd rather not say. Just believe me that she is not as happy as she seems."

"Please, tell us," insisted Jean-Luc.

Jared looked at both of them uneasy, they were not going to like what she said. _He _didn't like what had she said. He took Beverly's hand in his, knowing this was going to hurt her deeply. "She said meeting her parents was the worst thing that has ever happened to her."

Beverly could not suppress the shocked gasp that escaped her lips. Jean-Luc's heart sank and he put his arm around Beverly. Her eyes began to tear, it was not what she wanted to hear. Once again, she had failed her youngest child.

"Do you know why she feels this way?" asked Jean-Luc as he tried to comfort Beverly.

"I don't. She wouldn't talk to me. I can speculate, but that is all it would be."

"Can you be wrong?" asked Beverly. "She seems happy when she's not arguing."

"I know it's hard to hear. And if she was behaving like herself then I might consider that it could have been something she said without thinking or that maybe she was heard out of context. But unlike Gabrielle, Bevy is not a reserved person. Whether what she said is true or not is not my biggest concern. There is something wrong and she's not talking about it, at least not to me."

"What can we do?" asked Jean-Luc.

"You need to stop focusing so much on Elise and Wesley and start focusing on her."

Beverly sighed. "She's so independent and those two just seem to need me. Especially lately that at least once a day I need to reassure Elise that she is not in labour yet. She isn't home much since she started classes. She always has some commitment, rehearsals, or studying."

"Those two are adults and going through the consequences of acting as such," he told her.

"Your guidance is greatly appreciated," Picard told Jerald, hoping to get some direction.

"You need to make the effort to make time for her and just her. Instead of cooking dinner ask Gabrielle to do it once a week and spend that time with her. When she comes home from class go to her room and ask her how her day went. Unless you are pretty certain that Elise needs you and doesn't just need reassurances, tell Elise to wait a minute. You need to let Bevy know that she is important to you. You need to remember that Wesley knows you are his mother and that you love him, Bevy still feels uncertain about this."

"I was hoping this would be much easier. I didn't think this would be so complicated or difficult," Beverly admitted.

"It's not over yet. You can still work this out before you leave."

"I will see if I can help her with her studies," added Picard. "She has been leaving a lot to go study and do research at the library. I might be able to help her and therefore keep her here longer."

"Yes, that would give you some bonding time," Jared told him.

A knock at the door made all three adults look towards the door. "Yes?" called Beverly. The door opened Gabrielle came in.

"Elise says the contractions are becoming painful," she said plainly.

"I'll be right down," Beverly told her. Gabrielle nodded and as she was closing the door behind her they heard Elise yell,

"Gabrielle! _Please_ hurry!!"

"She's coming!" Gabrielle yelled back as she finished closing the door.

"Another false alarm?" Jared asked as Beverly got up to go get her tricorder.

"Probably not," she said calmly. "When I checked her this morning the baby had dropped, she was 20% effaced and dilated about 1cm. I didn't tell her anything because I didn't want the kids to be nervous in anticipation all day. It's her first so it will most likely be several hours before this baby actually appears. If the contractions are beginning to bother her then it's probably time to start getting ready to go to the hospital."

"You are absolutely too calm about this," Jared said as he watched her fix her hair at the mirror before facing both of them with a smile.

"I haven't known Beverly to panic about too many things, especially routine procedures," Jean-Luc told him.

"I'm calm because there is nothing to worry about. She is young, healthy, and so is her baby. Everything is going as typical as a human pregnancy and birth can be. The most difficult part about a birth is dealing with the mother's and family's anxiety towards the birth. Which I have never understood since it's a very natural body function."

Beverly went to the door, tricorder in hand, and the two men followed her out into the hallway. "I remember when Beverly gave birth to Wesley," Jean-Luc began. "Her husband, Jack, and I were a ball of nerves, very worried, and she just smiled and was completely clam the whole time. When it came time for Wesley to be born, she just looked as if she was concentrating really hard on something important."

"I was," she said with a smile. "Being a doctor has its advantages when it comes to these sorts of things," she said as they made their way down the stairs. Within minutes Beverly confirmed that it was indeed time to head to the hospital.


	4. D Day

D Day  
By Deanna Kranz

Disclaimer: Characters, ships, and jargon belong to Paramount.

D Day obviously refers to "delivery day" so the baby gets here in this chapter.

* * *

"Calm down and breathe. Everything is going just fine."

"No! This _can't_ be right!"

Beverly gave her a sympathetic smile, a reassuring smile.

"Here," she told Elise as she pressed a hypospray into her neck. "This will make some of the discomfort and pain go away. I'll give you something stronger once you're almost ready to push."

"It's going to get worst?!" asked Wesley with shock and concern.

"Wes, she's barely begun dilating and her contractions are still pretty far apart. At the rate she's making progress it will be another two to three hours until this baby finally arrives. We'll keep her as comfortable as possible and keep the pain to a minimum."

"Wes," Elise added, "I already feel much better."

"I'm going to go check in with the other staff. Some procedures are a little different from what I'm used to. If you need anything just call the nurses' station. They'll know to call me."

Dr. Crusher left the young couple alone. She knew they were both nervous at what was happening. They were about to become parents. The couple looked at each other with uncertainty. Wesley took Elise's hand in his, trying to reassure her. He had full confidence in his mother's abilities to safely deliver their baby, but the hospital setting made him nervous. They had discussed the possibility of a home birth, but being a doctor, Beverly preferred a fully equipped medical facility for the minute chance that something wasn't perfect. After giving all her professional reasons why she preferred a medical facility she gave them the most compelling reason: human births are messy and having a fully equipped medical facility nearby there was no way she was going to be cleaning up the blood and fluid stains that were guaranteed with a birth. Wesley had been cleaning up Elise's morning sickness, which was not confined to morning or the first trimester, for the past nine months. He had quickly grown tired of it and cleaning up copious amounts of blood and body fluids, even if they were his wife's and from giving birth to his child, was NOT going to happen if there was someone else willing to do it. Elise didn't like the thought of Wesley, her sister, or best friend having to clean up such a mess. So the decision was made to have her give birth in the hospital. Beverly had checked with the hospital and was very pleased with their delivery ward.

The young couple began talking about the past, their lives before they were married, and everything they could think of that was not the baby. They were both still very nervous.

* * *

"Girls, go get some lunch. There are still a couple of hours before the baby arrives."

"Alright, mom," answered Bevy.

"Would you like us to bring you something?" Gabrielle asked both Beverly and Jean-Luc.

"No, thank you," Jean-Luc answered for both of them. Both girls smiled and left the delivery ward for the hospital cafeteria, which served the same food as the campus cafeteria. They knew that a good meal awaited them. Once they were out of sight Beverly sat down next to Jean-Luc.

"How are they doing?" he asked.

"As expected," she answered. "They are both very nervous. I don't expect any complications, which would only worsen their emotional state."

Taking her hand in his, he asked, "And how are _you_ doing?"

Beverly couldn't contain her smile. "I'm very excited. I'm going to be a grandmother. And I get to deliver my grandson. I couldn't ask for anything else."

"I'm sure you could," he said and he brought her fingers within his hand to his lips for a kiss. She moved her eyes away from his as she shook her head, denying what he was implying. Though he was right, she wanted one more of her own, she felt it was selfish since she already had two and she had given one up.

"I'm glad you're here. I don't know what I'd do while I wait. I'd be intruding if I stayed in there with them the whole time."

"I'm here for you," he told her, dropping the subject for the moment. She wanted company and he was more than willing to provide it.

* * *

There weren't too many people in the cafeteria and the two teenagers sat at a table in a corner where they could talk privately. They had known each other for most of their lives, Elise and Gabrielle had begun studying at Clairmont Academy when they were seven years old and Bevy had been five. Wanting to keep the twins together, the only house that had two open rooms had five boys and three free rooms. Not wanting the girls to feel uncomfortable with only boys, they moved Bevy to the house as well since, being an orphan, they didn't have to go through the process of asking her parents if a young child could be moved to a house with much older children or explain to them why. Being the only girls in a house full of boys, the three of them quickly became friends. Even so, Gabrielle's private and "keep busy" personality resulted in Elise and Bevy becoming much closer than Gabrielle and Bevy. Elise and Bevy also developed many of the same interests, and the twins were more than happy to be seen as completely different people. However, since they now shared a room and neither one could relate to Elise's new life as a wife and soon to be mom, both girls had become much closer than before, for the first time telling each other things they wouldn't tell anyone else.

"Are you going to tell your mother?" asked Gabrielle.

"I don't know," answered Bevy. "I don't know how she will react. I don't want to make her mad anymore. I'm glad I can talk to you about it because I don't think Elise or Wes would care."

"I never told Elise I had a boyfriend. We were together for almost two years and she never found out. But then again, my friends don't really talk to her or her friends. I didn't tell my mom either because I didn't know how she would react. She wasn't mad when Elise told her she had a boyfriend so I guess she wouldn't have gotten mad. Now I wouldn't tell her because I know she would think I would end up pregnant like Elise."

"Can you believe we're going to be aunts?!" Bevy asked excitedly

"I know they seem happy, but I wouldn't want that, to be married and having a baby. Not right now, anyway. I still worry about how they're going to make it."

"Yeah, makes you want to be extra careful. Not that Tristan and I are anywhere near wanting to... you know." Gabrielle nodded, letting Bevy know she understood what she meant. "But still," she continued, "like Whitney says, it's not something you sit down and plan out in detail. It always starts with just a kiss. And if a kiss can end up in a baby, then I really rather not kiss, know what I mean?"

"Yup. That's part of the reason why I haven't given Jason too much attention. I know he likes me and he is so great. I'd love to give it a try with him, but since Elise ended up pregnant I don't want to have a boyfriend. We're twins! If it happened to her it can happen to me. I don't know how she does it. I'm 18, I don't want a husband or a baby. So I rather not risk it at all."

"I love Elise and my brother, but it really makes the whole 'wait until you're married' thing really make sense. Curiosity killed the cat, and they lost all nine lives in one night!"

Both girls laughed hysterically at Bevy's joke. As their laughter subsided, Gabrielle said, "I kinda feel bad talking about them like this. Making fun of them."

"Yeah, but who else can we talk to about this? At least we're family. Having just a wall between our room and theirs makes me uncomfortable bringing any of this up at home."

"And it's been much harder to make time to talk since we started classes, since you're still at the Academy and I'm at the University."

"We're going to have to make time or we'll go crazy! I can't joke like this with anyone else. And I don't feel comfortable talking about boys and those sorts of things with anyone else. I would be talking to Elise about this if she wasn't upstairs about to have a baby. I would like to be able to talk to my mother about these things but she's been so busy with Wesley and Elise and I don't want her to think I'm going to end up pregnant too."

Even though no one was close enough to hear what they were talking about, Gabrielle lowered her head closer to Bevy and in a soft voice asked, "Don't you ever get mad at them? For taking your mom? I mean, you've never had your mother. Wes has had her his whole life. Instead of you two spending time together and bonding she spends all her time with Wes and Elise."

"Yeah," she answered softly. "But don't you dare tell anyone! It would be so messy if someone found out." She was silent for a while before continuing. "And it will only get worst once they come home with the baby. She will be with three people instead of two. I know that Wesley and Elise will be staying, they both want to go to University here. Sometimes I feel like asking them to take me with them. They have a school on their ship and I could always do courses remotely through Academy here. I don't even get to spend time with my father since if he's not busy with mom he's with Wesley or working on something. He's not even Wesley's father."

"I'd miss you."

"Me too."

* * *

"Oh my gosh, what just happened?!" Elise asked with shock. "I'm wet!"

"I don't know!" Wesley said with panic. "Did it hurt? Are you in pain? Is the baby coming?"

Elise reached over to the call button next to her bed and tapped it. "What are you doing?" asked Wesley.

"_Nurses' station. Do you need something?"_ came a friendly female voice over the comm. system.

"I think my water broke," Elise said with uncertainty.

"_I'll go get your doctor. Don't worry, it's completely normal,"_ the nurse said before closing the comm.

"Beverly said to call the nurses' station if I needed anything. I need help," Elise answered Wesley's previous question.

"Oh," was all he could say, not being able to turn his eyes away from the bed sheets that were now wet. Within a minute Beverly came in with a nurse, both smiling reassuringly.

Her tricorder already open, Beverly began scanning her. "Your water has broken," she said calmly. "This is nurse Nancy, she is going to change your sheets and get you a clean gown," she continued as the nurse smiled and began pulling and tugging at the wet sheets, trying to be as gentle as possible. "How have the contractions been feeling?" she asked.

"A bit painful, but not as bad as before you gave me the pain killer. They're also more frequent, but I haven't been keeping track."

"That's alright, the monitor has. They are about five minutes apart. You are completely effaced and 9cm dilated. He's going to be here very soon."

"Really? I thought the contractions would be much worse."

"You probably just have a low tolerance for pain killers and it's still working. Let me know when you need something stronger. You are doing great," she said looking more closely at the monitor readings. Since it was not the system used on board Federation vessels and medical facilities, she had to actually read through all the information instead of instinctively glancing at the areas containing the information she wanted to know. "Everything looks normal," she reassured her.

"That's always good to hear," Elise said. She was about to say something when she began feeling another contraction. This time it was much stronger than before and she took a couple of deep breaths to help her get through it. Beverly grabbed her hand as she kept her eyes on the monitor. She felt Elise hold on tightly to it, loosening her grip once the contraction began to subside.

"You did great," Beverly reassured her with a smile.

"They weren't this painful before," she said, still breathing heavily from the shock of the unexpected increase in pain.

"The closer you get to pushing, the stronger they will get. Would you like something for the pain now?"

"Yeah."

Beverly went to get her hypospray and when she turned back to face Elise again she noticed her son for the first time. He was simply standing there, staring at the nurse going about cleaning.

"Wes?" she asked. "Are you ok?" He turned to face her and to her surprise his face was pale.

"She's... ummm.... having a, uh, baby," was all he managed to say. Beverly pressed the hypospray onto Elise's neck and put down the hypo before walking around the bed and to her son.

"Yes, Wesley," she said as she took his hands in hers. "We've been waiting for this baby for quite some time."

A monitor began beeping and Beverly left her son to go check on the monitor. "What's wrong?" asked Elise with a bit of panic. However, before Beverly could respond she began having another contraction. "I'm having a contraction. Oh, wow, I can feel a lot of pressure... but it doesn't hurt."

"Just breathe the way we practiced," Beverly told her as she walked back to Elise. As the contraction subsided Elise looked at Beverly and asked again, "What's wrong? Why did it beep?"

"It was letting me know you're fully dilated. Everything still looks good so whenever you feel like you need to push, let me know and we'll begin."

"Push?" asked Wesley softly.

"Yes, Wes," Beverly said, now feeling concerned for her son. "We talked about how this was going to happen, remember?"

Without saying a word and without looking at anyone, Wesley walked around the bed and out the door.

"Where is he going?!" Elise asked in a panic. "I can't have the baby without him! Beverly, I need him here!"

"I'll go talk to him. Just stay calm, ok?"

She simply nodded and Beverly walked out the door and towards the same direction Wesley had gone. As she turned down to another hallway she saw Jean-Luc standing in front of Wesley about half way down the hall. As she approached she heard Jean-Luc's concerned voice.

"Wesley, what is going on? Did something happen? Is Elise and the baby in any danger?"

"No, everything is just fine," Beverly said as she approached. "Wes, what's wrong? Elise needs you right now. She's going to start pushing very soon."

"She could die," he said softly.

"What?! Wesley, there is nothing that would indicate any sort of complication, much less endangerment to her life."

"What's going on?" came the concerned voice of Bevy.

"She could die," Wesley repeated.

Both girls went pale, not being able to form words. Picard was the one that stepped in, "No, no, nothing is wrong with Elise," he reassured both girls.

"Wesley," began Beverly in a slightly angry tone, "Everything is happening just as it should. I couldn't ask for a more perfect situation, other than to have my mother-to-be be calmer and more content under the circumstances. This is _not_ the time for you to panic, Wesley! She needs you for support! Now go back in there, take her hand, and at least _pretend_ to be excited and supportive!"

Wesley stared at his mother, confusion very evident in his expression. Beverly was becoming angry at what, to her, felt like selfish behaviour. She had made sure they were both as ready as possible for what lay ahead of them. She took them both through the process of labour and delivery and answered all their questions. She assured them and reassured them over and over again, hoping for an average delivery. Now her daughter in law, her patient, and his wife was panicking and stressed when there was absolutely no need for it. There was nothing wrong with her or her baby and everything was going swell. What was causing her distress was her husband's sudden, irrational behaviour.

"So there is nothing wrong with Elise?" asked Gabrielle after a moment of silence.

"And the baby is coming?" asked Bevy before anyone could answer Gabrielle, a bit of excitement in her voice. Beverly was about to answer both of them despite her anger when nurse Nancy interrupted her.

"Dr. Crusher. Elise says she feels the urge to bear down."

"We're coming," Beverly answered and the nurse simply nodded and walked back towards the room. "Wesley, now!" she said as she grabbed him and pulled him back down the hall. Wesley, however resisted.

"I, I can't," he said.

Beverly's temper was evident in her bright red face. Jean-Luc was the one who interfered.

"Let me," he told her and took Wesley's hand from hers. "He will be there in a second," he reassured her. Angrily, she gave Wesley her disappointed look and left. Bevy and Gabrielle approached Wesley and Picard and Bevy asked, "Wes, what's wrong?"

Before he could answer Picard told them, "Why don't you give me a moment to talk to him?" They nodded and headed back to sit at some chairs in the hallway. As they sat down Bevy whispered to Gabrielle, "Do you think that maybe he's Wes's father too and they're not saying anything because they got away with it?" Gabrielle simply giggled and shrugged.

Several feet away, Picard began. "Wesley, your wife needs you right now. She needs your support."

"But what if something goes wrong? I feel so hopeless in there. I can't do anything but stand there!"

"But that is what she needs the most. She needs to know that you support her and that you are grateful for what she is about to do." Wesley shifted his weight nervously and Picard continued. "Wesley, I was very fortunate and honoured to be able to witness your birth. It is the most miraculous thing I've ever been privileged to witness. For you, it will be much more special since it is your wife giving birth to your son. Come," Picard told Wesley and pulled him lightly by the arm. Reluctantly, Wesley began to walk back to Elise's room. Once outside the door

Picard told him, "Just be there for her. Your mother and her will do the rest." He opened the door and Wesley went inside and Picard went back to sit.

"That was excellent," Beverly told Elise as Wesley entered the room. She was standing between Elise's legs, coaching her through the birth, as Elise's latest contraction began subsiding.

"Wesley," Elise said a little out of breath. He smiled at her as he went to her and took her hand, giving her a kiss on her forehead.

"Sorry," he told her.

"Please don't leave," she pleaded with a touch of fear in her voice.

"I won't," he assured her.

"Another contraction is beginning," Beverly said.

"Yes," answered Elise as she took a deep breathed in preparation to push.

Outside the delivery room, several feet down the hall, sat Picard with the two girls. There was a nervous silence between them as they waited for the baby to arrive. None of them knew quite what should be said or done as they waited and Wesley's strange behaviour had made both girls quite uneasy.

"What was wrong with Wes?" Bevy finally asked.

Picard sighed and smiled at her. "He was simply nervous."

"But why did he say Elise could die?" she asked.

"Well," he began, "long ago, several thousand years ago, it was common for women to die during childbirth. Fortunately, with better medical facilities and better knowledge of how the birthing process works, it is no longer true. Something might have triggered that knowledge in his head and he simply made a connection in his nervousness."

"Why is he so nervous?" asked Gabrielle. "He's not the one giving birth."

Picard smiled even broader because this was something he knew too well. Not from experience at being next to someone while they were giving birth, the only birth he had ever witnessed was Wesley's. But from countless situations in which he had no control.

"It is easy to understand what is happening and why it's happening. However, it is a very unsettling experience to simply be a support to someone you care about deeply while they go through something as momentous as giving birth. This helplessness that you, personally, can't do anything to help other than be there is very troublesome."

"Have you ever been in that kind of situation?" Bevy asked.

"Oh, yes. There have been many times in which the situation is out of my hands and all I can do is simply wait as I watch others work tirelessly to remedy the situation. My training and experience, however, has taught me not to react the way Wesley did. Instead of freezing in panic, I've learned to accept the fact that the situation is out of my hands and let those that are able to do something do what they need to do. However, the feelings of uncertainty are still there."

"That's why you knew what to tell him to get him to go back and be with Elise," said Bevy.

"Yes, in part. I was also there when Wesley was born and his father was very nervous as well. Though he didn't react quite like Wesley did, he kept telling me about the feelings of helplessness at not being able to do anything we would consider productive. But Jack was much older than Wesley is and he had his Academy training and several years of active duty experience to help him cope with the situation."

"You were there when Wesley was born?" Gabrielle asked surprised.

"Yes," Jean-Luc said with a smile. Both girls looked at each other and giggled, remembering Bevy's recent comment about Jean-Luc possibly being Wesley's father. "Is there something amusing?" he asked the giggling girls. They simply shook their heads.

"Why were you there?" asked Bevy. "I thought you didn't like children."

"I have never said that I don't like children," he said defensively. "They make me uncomfortable. I was there to support Jack and Beverly. He was my best friend for many years before he met your mother and I considered them both like family. They asked me to be there and I couldn't say no. You never say no to a woman about to give birth," he stated with a grin.

Silence fell once again since no one had anything to add. Their thoughts were wandering from subject to subject simply trying to make time pass as they waited for the baby to be born. Time passed but none of them were actually aware of it. Forty minutes later Beverly came down the hall with a smile. The three of them stood when they saw her coming.

"We have a healthy boy," Beverly said with a proud smile as she neared them. "He weighed in at 3 ½ kilos." Jean-Luc closed the remaining space between them and pulled her into a hug. "Congratulations," he whispered in her ear.

"Can we see the baby?" Gabrielle asked excitedly.

"They're waiting to see you," Beverly answered as she began walking back to the room.

"Is Elise ok?" asked Bevy as they approached the room.

"She's doing fine for someone who just gave birth," Beverly answered as she opened the door. Gabrielle was the first one in, followed by Bevy, Jean-Luc and Beverly. They immediately went to the bed where Elise was holding her tightly wrapped baby in her arms and Wesley was standing next to her. The baby's eyes were wide open and looking intently at his mother.

"Congratulations," Gabrielle and Bevy said in unison and they hugged Elise and the baby.

"He's so cute!" Bevy told her.

"Thank you," she answered.

"Have you finally decided on a name?" Gabrielle asked.

"We agreed on Robert," Wesley told them.

"I almost forgot!" Gabrielle said as she dug into one of her pockets and pulled out a small device. "I need to take a picture." She held up the holo-imager and took a picture of Elise holding the baby and Wesley by her side. "I'll go send a message to mom and dad right now."

"Yeah," Elise answered softly. "Let them know I will contact them as soon as I feel up to it."

"I'm sure they will understand," Beverly reassured her.

"Ok," Gabrielle said and left the room. Beverly approached Elise and asked, "May I?" as she reached for the baby. Elise rose her arms and handed her baby to Beverly. Beverly took the baby to Jean-Luc and handed him the baby. He took the baby with a little uncertainty but when he looked down at the baby he could not suppress a smile. He looked up to meet Beverly's eyes again which were full of joy.

"Déjà vu," he said and Beverly nodded.

"What do you mean?" Wesley asked. Jean-Luc walked over to Elise and Wesley and looked at the baby in his arms once more before handing him over to Wesley.

"About twenty one years ago," he began as he put an arm around Beverly. "Your father took you from your mother's arms as she sat on bed just like this," he said looking at Elise, "and handed you to me with pride. You looked just like your son."

"Does that mean he will look like Wesley when he's older?" Bevy asked.

"Not necessarily," Beverly answered. "But right now I'm getting an incredible sense of nostalgia. He looks just like Wesley did."

There was silence as they simply looked at the baby. This small little being had already touched and changed many lives and had brought about joy as well as uncertainty. How great an impact he would have on all of them, no one knew for certain. But at that moment they were all glad he had finally arrived and Robert Crusher was there stay.


End file.
